Exploring Various Types of Student Disruptive Behaviors That Create Classroom Disturbances in Public Primary Schools in Mvomero District, Tanzania

Abstract

The study explored disruptive student behaviors that create classroom disturbances in public primary schools in Mvomero District  Tanzania. This study employed mixed research approaches under a convergent research design with a sample size of 36 participants  obtained through a purposive sampling technique in which 6 Heads of public primary schools and 30 regular public primary teachers  were involved in the study. Data were collected through a closed-ended questionnaire and semi-structured interview. Collected data were  analyzed through thematic analysis for qualitative data, and statistical software (SPSS) was used to analyze quantitative data. The  findings of the study revealed various types of student disruptive behavior in public primary schools in Mvomero District such as fighting,  frequently going outside the class, arriving late to class or frequently skipping school or altogether, talking while students the  lesson is on, lying, failure to complete assignments or neglect their responsibilities, disruption of the class by making excessive noises,  cheating or dishonesty, throwing papers or sold objects to each other, using abusive words, and bullying behaviors. Therefore, the study  recommended educational authorities should design training programs to impart knowledge and skills regularly to primary school  teachers on how to manage different types of students’ disruptive behavior, teachers training curriculum should incorporate skills and  knowledge of how to deal with various students’ disruptive behaviors in primary schools and primary schools’teachers should employ  appropriate strategies to manage students’ disruptive behaviors in schools.